French protesters block access to three oil depots amid growing anger over fuel taxes

Demonstrators take to the streets to voice anger over Emmanuel Macron's economic reforms

Protesters face riot police in Virsac, near Bordeaux (AFP/Getty Images)

Tens-of-thousands of French protesters have blocked access to three oil depots to protest about higher fuel taxes.

In a third day of demonstrations against President Emmanuel Macron's economic reforms, up to 20,000 protesters blocked highways across France with burning barricades and convoys of slow-moving trucks

French oil and gas giant Total said it operated two of the three affected depots on mainland France, one in Vern, near the northwest city of Rennes, and the other in Fos-sur-Mer in the south.

A fourth depot was blocked on Reunion, a former French colony that lies between Mauritius and Madagascar.

Protesters have worn high visibility jackets and have been dubbed the “yellow vest” movement. They are demonstrating against higher fuel prices that the government has to date, shown no sign of backtracking on.

The price of diesel at the pump has increased by about 20 per cent in the past year.

Some of the increase is due to rising global oil prices earlier in the year but Mr Macron has also raised hydrocarbon tax this year by 7.6 cents per litre on diesel and 3.9 cents on petrol.

One protester died over the weekend after being run over at a blockade in Savoie.

A driver reportedly panicked after seeing protesters barring the way and accelerated, hitting and killing a female demonstrator.

The woman was reportedly trying to take her daughter to a doctor and panicked when protesters surrounded her car.